


take another drag turn me to ashes

by ElasticElla



Series: follower milestone ficlets [15]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, F/M, Recreational Drug Use, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-21 13:01:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14285478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: Maia hates that she noticed a change at all. The beauty in their arrangement was supposed to be strings free sex whenever she wanted it.





	take another drag turn me to ashes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dutchydoescoke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dutchydoescoke/gifts).



> the alt canon is that clary kissed simon in the seelie world ergo climon never broke up and jaia kept hooking up on the side, gretel’s alive because I say so
> 
> title from lana del rey's diet mountain dew

Maia hates that she noticed a change at all. The beauty in their arrangement was supposed to be strings free sex whenever she wanted it. And the sex is great, better than she’d ever admit to Jace, a certain new burning intensity since Valentine’s death. She’s not sure if it’s due to the weird fake family web thing or maybe it finally clicking that he isn’t invulnerable himself, either way, it’s not Maia’s problem. 

Strings-free. 

Meaning she can focus on herself. On studying for school, hanging out with her friends, making fun new cocktails. There’s zero reason to give the cocky shadowhunter any more thought. 

The best use of Jace’s mouth really when he’s on his knees, and the fact that she’s even thinking about it _now_ of all times is ridiculous. She can’t even enjoy her evening first two orgasms by tongue because Jace’s dick obviously needs copious amounts of lubrication. (It probably isn’t normal how overly pleased she is that Jace is average in size if a bit thick. That she can easily take all of him in her mouth, fit a hand in his pants and get him off in public.) 

Sighing, she tugs up on his absurd hair, Jace pouting up at her. He presses one last kiss to the butterfly on the top of her thigh before rising. 

“What’s wrong?” His eyes suddenly shine, “Do you wanna fuck me tonight?” 

Maia snorts, should have expected that response. “We should talk.” 

Jace laughs, harder when he realizes she’s serious. “Last time I asked you how your day was, what was it you said?” 

Maia’s eyebrows come together, honestly can’t recall what-

“Oh, that’s right- you didn’t say anything. You sat on my face.” 

“Clearly it went well.” 

“Alright, I know biting is your thing, but I will- what do you want to talk about?” 

She lightly slaps his chest for the terrible joke, “You’ve been different lately.” 

Jace smirks, “I did reread a certain passage of the Karma Sutra.” 

Maia rolls her eyes, “You’ve been more intense, it’s good- but are you okay?” 

“It’s a shadowhunter thing, don’t worry about it,” Jace says, a little too quick, too smooth. 

Her eyes narrow, and he chuckles. “Look at you, all worried about me. Next thing you know we’ll be dating and-”

Getting to shut up Jace however she wants is one of her favorite things about their arrangement, kissing him until his hands are cupped around her neck and he’s long lost their train of conversation. He isn’t off the hook, but she’ll let it go for now. (And maybe tonight is the night to try out the new sparkly dildo she ordered.)

.

In the morning, Maia goes to leave bed- still undecided if she wants to just brush her teeth and return or grab something to eat- when Jace’s arms tighten around her. 

“Don’t go, not yet.” 

The sincerity stops her, and Maia settles back into his arms, more sleep is always a good option too. “Mmm, when did you become so cuddly?” 

Jace doesn’t laugh or answer, not for long enough that Maia’s nearly asleep again when he does. “I… the only time I don’t feel cold is with you.” 

And Maia’s too close to sleep to process it, too close to really remember. 

.

When she wakes up again, the bed is cold, Jace gone with half her morning. She should feel worse about that, but she just feels refreshed, hopping out of bed and cracking her bones as she stretches. Heading to the bathroom first she washes up, brushing her teeth as she takes in her body in the mirror. Werewolf healing means there isn’t a single mark from last night, though her hair is a mess and that is definitely Jace’s fault. 

Going to the kitchen, she smells bacon, is convinced her nose is playing tricks on her until she gets there. Jace fucking Wayland is in her kitchen, wearing boxers and an apron that says _team jacob_. (Maia still thinks _team leah_ would be more appropriate but Gretel said they didn’t stock those.)

“Good morning,” Jace says, and his smile is too soft, not nearly lascivious enough considering her nudity. 

“What are you doing?” she asks flatly. 

Jace shrugs, “I was hungry.”

“So you raid my fridge? Dick.”

Jace winks, “You didn’t mind the raiding last night.” 

Maia rolls her eyes, but is grateful for the shift in tone. “How much longer is that going to take?” 

“Ten minutes, wh-”

She hops up on the counter, his eyes unsurprisingly following her breasts, mouth falling open with a soft sound that might’ve been another word. 

“C’mere,” Maia says, pulling him between her legs and kissing him until the bacon nearly burns. 

.

As fun as the start of her day is, the rest of it is less so- mostly filled with studying at the Jade Wolf for tomorrow’s midterm. She isn’t sure when studying at the loud restaurant became easier than in the library, but she’s pretty sure Bat and Gretel and Luke are to blame. (She feels _home_ here, more than anywhere else and that’s too mushy to contemplate sober.)

The test goes fairly well, she feels mostly good about it- there was one short answer she bullshitted through, but the rest she knew. She’s feeling positively chipper as she heads to the Hunter’s Moon for a shift. Bartending is pretty much on autopilot now without seeming it, time flying by as the tips roll in. 

Maia’s only knocked out of her pattern by Meliorn’s arrival, claws itching to come out. 

“If you’re here to kidnap me, I’d like to finish work first.”

Meliorn’s lips curl, and he approaches the bar but doesn’t sit. “There is no need.”

“Good. Let’s keep it that way,” she says, polishing the counter. 

“It was not our intention to make an enemy of you,” he says. 

Maia snorts, “Tell that to the pointy sticks.” 

“To aid future endeavors,” he says, tossing a bag on the counter. 

“I appreciate that,” Maia says, has heard Gretel go on about accidentally thanking Kaelie enough to know not to fall into such a trap. 

He almost looks amused, and god does Maia hate dealing with seelies and all their half-expressions and sentences. “Have a profitable evening.” 

Maia nods, picking up the bag as he goes, curious. Her jaw drops, hadn’t recognized the contents with how stuffed the bag is, must be worth around a thousand dollars.

In her hands is the largest amount of faerie weed she’s ever seen in her life. 

(Honestly if she knew a mostly harmless kidnapping would end with this kind of payout, she might have just agreed in the first place.)

.

Work drags on after Meliorn leaves, she’s only gotten high off seelie products once before and is very eager to repeat the experience. Gretel joins her for the end, the two of them doing some two-person bottle tosses and flips for fun (though the extra tips are a nice bonus). 

Once two a.m. rolls around and the bar’s locked up, she asks, lets herself really feel the excitement of her new gift. 

“So I got some seelie leaf, wanna come over?” 

Gretel raises an eyebrow, “I told you the thing with my girl is exclusive.” 

“She know that?” Maia can’t help but tease. 

“Fuck you, it’s not like that.” 

“Aight.” 

Gretel rolls her eyes, “Call your floppy haired toy.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Maia says, like she hadn’t been thinking of that before she invited Gretel. 

.

Maia sends a photo of the bag to Jace with _come over_. He replies quickly that he’ll be there in fifteen, and if pretty boy thinks she’s waiting that long sober, he’s very wrong. 

She takes a quick hit off her one-hitter, starts rolling the rest. A dozen joints is probably more than they’ll go through, but it’s also the weekend and technically Maia could stay in this room for the next fifty-three hours. The still rather full bag gets hidden under her bed, doesn’t need them going on a week long adventure. 

Then he’s buzzing her to be let in, and holy shit this stuff works fast. 

“You went grocery shopping?” Maia asks, confused when he comes in with a filled paper bag. 

“Mostly at the rest stop,” he says, lining up snacks on the table. There’s snickers and airheads and skittles and poppyseed muffins and milano cookies and twizzlers and kit-kats and clementines and lollipops and chips and cookie dough. 

“Holy shit,” Maia breathes. 

“I haven’t had dinner yet, so,” Jace says as an explanation, grabbing the last item, beef jerky, and tearing it open. 

Maia isn’t hungry yet, but she brings the muffins closer, will definitely want those at some point tonight. She lights up the first joint while Jace is still eating, the smoke instantly making her realize they need some liquids. 

“So how was work? The test?” Jace asks.

Maia passes, trying not to frown. She can’t remember if she mentioned the test to him, which sounds unlike her, but she also can’t imagine Gretel or Bat enlightening him. 

“Good. Weird. I mean, both were good. Meliorn gave me the weed.” 

“Nice.” 

“Too nice,” Maia corrects. “There’s no reason for him to want to stay on my good side, it’s weird.” 

Jace chokes, purple smoke puffing out in short bursts, and giggling, Maia takes the joint back. Her smoke is orange, and she can’t remember how Gretel explained the fae magic behind the smoke. Either way it’s gorgeous, fun to watch the new colors curl in the air.

Jace comes back with two glasses of water, and it only faintly registered, his movement delayed in her mind until he returned. 

“You’re gonna lead the pack one day,” Jace says, their fingers brushing warmly as he takes the joint back.

Maia laughs, “What?” 

“Eventually it’ll be you or Bat or Gretel right?” 

“Yeah, unless we get new people which will probably happen.” 

“Whatever,” Jace shrugs off, red smoke drifting past his lips. Huh, she swapped weed for poppyseed at some point, and damn are the muffins good. She should learn how to make these muffins. No, she should make Jace learn- he’s surprisingly decent in the kitchen, and the only way to make these better would be if they were fresh out of the oven.

“-Bat would hate being a leader, the pressure and time constraints would not be mellow. And Gretel, she’d start a war. On her first day. Before lunch.” 

Laughter bursts from her lips, too true. It’s an odd thought that the faeries are viewing her as most likely to be next, but that’s just today. Next year could be different, she supposes it’s a cheap investment from their perspective. 

“Still with me?” Jace asks, nudging her foot. 

“Yeah, yeah pass back. We should play a game.” 

“Okay. You still have the Jenga set?” 

Maia smiles, but no that’s too loud for right now. Something softer, realer, easy with two people. Something like, oh- “Higher truth.” 

Jace cocks his head, “I dunno that one.” 

“Every time you pass the weed, you say a more profound or personal truth than the one before you.” 

Jace laughs loudly, mismatched eyes gleaming, “You wanna- really?” 

“Or I can whoop your ass at poker again,” Maia offers sweetly. 

Jace shakes his head with a rueful smile. “I’m in for your truth game.”

“Good,” Maia says, taking the joint back. “I hate celery.” 

“Who doesn’t?” Jace replies. “I used to say I was allergic to spinach to get out of eating it.” 

Maia giggles, pink smoke dancing. “When I was like four or five, I’d sneak out of my room in the middle of the night to eat extra gummy vitamins.” 

“Badassery starts young,” Jace says, exhaling black smoke that looks too intense for the chill vibe they have going. “When we started training with bows, I was so upset Alec was better at me in something, I tried to hide all the arrows in the Institute.” 

“No,” Maia breathes, hand over her mouth to contain the laughter. “Where?” 

“In the kitchen, they were found very quickly. And then I got stuck with extra archery lessons.” 

“Sometimes I wake up and wish you were there,” Maia says, doesn’t realize her thought is out loud at first. “Because morning orgasms are where it’s at,” she tacks on quickly. 

“You make me feel alive,” Jace confesses, and Maia’s throat goes dry. 

“Just how high are you?” she manages, can’t quite keep her voice level. 

“No really. Ever since the- Valentine thing- I haven’t felt connected to this world, except for when I’m with you.” 

And there’s no other answer than to kiss him. _No strings_ , mocks her from the back of her mind, and she slides into his lap touching him everywhere until the voice is quiet. Until there’s nothing but the two of them breathing faster and faster, a touch and go reality that has pleasure spinning out quick.

The words don’t have to be real now, they’ll still be there once they’re sober. Once every touch doesn’t feel like magic dancing on her skin, once she’s so sated she can’t imagine any more. Then, and only then, they’ll deal with it. 

(Ugh, _feelings_ are the worst. Fucking Wayland.)


End file.
